This invention relates generally to the art of flexible film bags for consumer use as grocery bags or trash bags; and the present invention relates more particularly to devices for supporting these comparatively limp bags in open condition ready to be loaded or charged with grocery contents.
The heretofore ubiquitous kraft paper bags that are commonly used to sack groceries at supermarket checkout counters are advantageously self-supporting in the opened state and are therefore easily loaded. Moisture-resistant and more economical flexible plastic film bags are too limp to be free-standing; and consequently, various types of holders have been devised in the past for supporting bags of the latter type while they are being filled. Such prior art bag-supporting apparatus have been conceived of as rugged pieces of equipment fabricated from sheet metal, wood or heavy gauge wire and intended for repeated use over long periods of time. One such device for supporting open-top plastic bags is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,170 granted to William George Orem. However, the Orem device is designed for use with packs of 50-100 individual bags heat-sealed or otherwise connected together and perforated with aligned, peg-receiving holes. Use of the Orem bag holder starts with manually tearing off the top bag from the heat-sealed pack, an awkward operation at best with slippery plastic bags; and in addition, the Orem device exhibits a constant hazard for cuts and gashes from the exposed edges of the sheet metal material of construction.